We have been fettling Baloo. A few repairs and a few modifications at the Unicat workshop.
Our nine-month trip to Morocco was quite harsh on the truck in some respects. The dust from the desert gets everywhere. It is quite remarkably invasive and persistent. I imagine we will still be finding it years from now. In addition, the sea air is insidiously corrosive. The windows suffered quite badly from this combination of attacks. The blinds jammed up with dust, the hinges seized up and even the stainless steel metalwork had developed a patina. Fortunately, the windows are solidly built. I was able to completely dismantle them for cleaning, oiling and rubbing down. Most of the blinds were freed up without problem although we did need to replace two that had ripped. Cleaned and reassembled they are looking good again.
Many of the door locks and switches were jamming up with dust. Especially the ones at the rear of the vehicle that, at times, was completely enveloped in dense, billowing clouds of the Sahara’s best. Careful cleaning was the key to restoring the locks. Compressed air helped a lot and gave rise to several minor workshop sand storms. One of the rear compartments locks had failed completely so this was replaced. Extra seals have been installed wherever possible.
There is a lot of dust in the desert
The truck parked next to Baloo in the Unicat workshop is “Hungry Wheels“.
The water at Insouane was drawn from a well. This is common practise in Morocco. Some of the well water is beautifully clear and fresh. Unfortunately, the Insouane water was not only slightly saline but also very high in dissolved solids. All our pans and the kettle became thickly coated in carbonate deposits. This is easy enough to deal with but I was concerned that our hot water tank could become clogged. Several internet searches and some calculations later saw me pouring a citric acid solution into the tank. After heating, we drained this out along with loads of brown sludge. Eventually it ran clear. Hopefully this has helped preserve the tank a little longer.
The under ride guard is a continual problem. It is a horizontal bar at the rear of the truck designed to stop a car accidentally going underneath. We can fold it away when we go off-road but even so, it is quite easy to catch. Previously we have damaged it. This time we brought it back in pieces. The guard is a requirement for TUV so we need to have one. The Unicat workshop did a magnificent job of hammering, grinding and welding. Finally, a coat of paint and it looks like new. Ready to save the next car that runs into the back of us. Unicat also designed some nifty removable mud flaps (spray suppressors). When we go off-road we will be able to take them off rather than rip them off as has tended to happen so far.
Curtains in the bedroom 
In April, while we were locked down in Morocco, I described our concern about the state of the tyres. They made it back to Germany but were looking seriously knackered. We now have six nice new ones and have switched from Michelin to Continental. The new tyres are a bit harder and have a slightly less aggressive tread pattern. They will not clear mud so well but might be better behaved on the road and longer lasting. The best two old tyres are now our spares. The motorcycle rack has been extended so that we can carry two wheels. In Feb, way out in the desert, we realised that two spare tyres were essential for travel in to remote places. The motorcycle is now secured in a different and hopefully much better way. This avoids having a clamp onto the saddle and compressing the suspension right down. It also allows the bike to fit more snugly to the tyres. Overall the bike rack is just 200mm longer. At the other end of the truck we have installed dual shock absorbers to make the vehicle a bit more stable off-road.
Other jobs included a second mast on the cab roof. This gives us more altitude for the WiFi bridging antenna. A solar powered extractor fan has been installed in the bathroom. In the cab is a new mount for an iPad dedicated to navigation. In addition, we replaced the drawers behind the driver’s seat with a set that do not rattle. The noise of the old draw unit upset the dog. For further canine comfort, we have installed a high anchor point for his harness with a rotating joint to reduce tangling problems. We thought about fitting an external awning but eventually opted for a gazebo as being much more flexible. In the bedroom, we have installed curtains. This may seems like an obvious one but many similar vehicles do not have them. The window has an internal blind and a fly shield. If the window is open then the blind has to be at least partially open to allow fresh air to circulate. This also lets the light in so when the bright desert sun comes up at 5am it shines right in your face. Curtains keep the bedroom dark and make it feel cosier. We are very happy with them.
New WiFi antenna 
Two tyre rack 
Lunch at Unicat 
iPad for navigation 
New drawer unit, new anchor point, same old dog
Baloo is fully serviced TUV is passed. We are just about ready to go.